Rheumatoid meningitis

Case contributed by Yuliia Solodovnikova
Diagnosis certain

Presentation

Headache radiating to the neck, aggravated by bright light. Additional symptoms included low-grade fever in the evening and pain in the wrist joints. Neurological examination revealed mildly positive meningeal signs and brisk tendon reflexes.

Patient Data

Age: 25 years
Gender: Female
mri

MR images reveal prominent unilateral right-sided leptomeningeal contrast enhancement on T1 C+ sequences.

Case Discussion

The blood tests results:

  • red blood cells 4.07 x 1012/L ;

  • ESR 58 mm per hour ;

  • platelets 504 x 109/L ;

  • white blood cells 11.29 x 109/L ;

  • C-reactive protein 23.73 mg/L ;

  • anti-streptolysin O 265.00 IU/mL.

The patient's diagnosis is rheumatoid arthritis.

Unilateral involvement of leptomeninges and rheumatic disease lead to the diagnosis of rheumatoid meningitis. The patient refused a lumbar puncture. We treated her with 8 mg of methylprednisolone for two weeks. The patient described symptoms as fully resolved after the treatment.

The most likely diagnosis in this context is rheumatoid meningitis as a manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis.

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